(Gen. 12:3b)
In the course of time, God revealed Himself to a pagan idolater in the land that He would identify later. This call to Abraham was accompanied by promises of great and wonderful things, including:
The land where he was going. The promise, implicit in Abraham's call was made explicit when he arrived (Gen.12:7).
A great posterity. He and his barren wife would have children and other descendants, and they would be numerous and powerful.
Blessing. God's favor would rest upon him.
A great name. Abraham would be honored and his deeds would be renowned in the world and through history.
Friendship and protection, "'I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse who curse you,"' God said.
But there was another promise, too, a more perplexing promise. God told Abraham, "'You shall be a blessing... And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."'
All these promises were given as part of the covenant God made with Abraham, as Genesis 15 reveals. The stipulation was obedience, best summed up by God's command in Genesus 17:1b:"'walk before Me and be blameless."' Of Abraham could not be blameless; he was a sinful man. But he walked before God with great integrity, particularly in taking God at His word (Rom.4). And because he did, God graciously granted all the promises to him and his descendants.
But what of the last promise? In what sense were "'all the families of the earth"' to be blessed in Abraham? What did God mean when He made this strange promise and affirmed it again and again (Gen.18:18;22:18;26:4;28:14)?
Simply put, this was another promise of a Redeemer for fallen mankind. And God was getting specific: he was saying that the Redeemer would come from Abraham's bloodline, but His work would be of benefit to more than Abraham's descendant alone. This son of Abraham would provide redemption for people all over the earth. In other words, Abraham's faith and obedience would have ramification throughout time and space.
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